Police Officers Awarded for Outstanding Performance

The top brass of the police was present today for an award ceremony recognizing its finest officers who performed impressively in the first quarter of this year. More than twenty officers based in Belize City made the cut and received certificates as well as monitory compensation. News Five’s Isani Cayetano was present for the ceremony and files the following report.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Twenty-two officers, as well as a civilian employee of the Belize Police Department were awarded today during the Quarterly Police, Civilians Appreciation Awards Ceremony.  The men and women of law enforcement were recognized for their outstanding work between January and March of this year.  Officer Commanding Eastern Division South, Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams.

Chester Williams

ACP Chester Williams, Regional Commander, Eastern Division South

“As you can see, the award includes a certificate of appreciation and within the envelope that they got, there is a monetary award or a give certificate which are donated by different business communities in south side Belize City.”

Isani Cayetano

“Are there specific criteria with regards to the requirements that each officer has to make?”

ACP Chester Williams

“Well as the commissioner said, there are many police officers who are deserving of promotion because they have been performing outstandingly for the first quarter and even beyond the first quarter of 2016. But we could only award so much. So what we do is look at the police officers who are performing really at their best and we have a selection process. So it is not like I decide who I want to award, but we have a we have a process where a number of the senior management team gets together, the names are submitted and we look at each officer individually and based on that we vote to see who will be getting which award. The only two persons whose awards were selected personally by me were the award for the most outstanding police constable or the most improved police constable across south side Belize City; that was the one that Ryan Young got. And then the award for the award for civilian staff who is our finance officer because they work directly under my command so I am the person who is in the position to decide whether or not she had performed to the level that she should as well as the other civilian staff who work within eastern division south headquarters. So those two awardees were selected by me. So to say that there is a criterion, the criteria is to be out there, do your job and perform outstandingly. They must not be on any disciplinary charge and these sort of things. So outstanding performance is their criteria.”

Allen Whylie

Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie was also on hand for the brief ceremony and commended the officers for their achievement.

Allen Whylie Commissioner of Police

“I must acknowledge that we have many outstanding police officers within the Belize Police Department, particularly in Belize City. We know eastern division is where we have our major challenges and so we know we have many outstanding officers here in Belize City, many courageous officers here in Belize City, many dedicated police officers here in Belize City because it takes a special breed of police officers to want to always serve and try to serve with distinction.”

ACP Chester Williams

“I must say that the achievement we have made so far this year and in the latter part of last year, could also be attributed to the assistance that we get from GSU on a daily basis and even when we conduct our weekly operations. You must understand that while we embark significantly on community policing, we must always maintain that tough approach to the fight against those who live to continue to perpetrate criminal acts. And that is where we normally team up with the GSU and we go after those persons who seemingly do not want to live a life of peace. So for that I must also say thanks and  welcome to the commander of GSU ad I could also say thanks to Miss Phillips, my counterpart on the north side. We do collaborate from time to time in how we look at our crime situation in Belize City on a whole; after all we are both responsible to ensure that the entire city is kept peaceful at all times.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.